Theos-Talk Archives (June 2008 Message tt00085)

Dear Brother/Sister:

Listed below is the vote tallying procedure. It is clear that until the
final result is announced, the results from individual sections are kept
secret. It looks like another instance of unnecessary secrecy mentioned in
the 1900 letter.

Watching the democratic elections in various countries around the world
(including India and USA etc. ) with millions of voters, the results in each
state/locality is announced as soon as the ballots are tallied in public,
which is a time tested procedure and proven to be work.

I do not see why, the results from individual TS Sections cannot be (1)
tallied openly in public with any member wishing to witness it can do so and
(2) when tallying is complete, it is immediately announced on the websites
and maillists, which is quick and does not cost anything. So long as the
tallying takes place after the balloting has ended in all countries, there
should be no problem.

These rules were drawn up a century ago, and are obsolete in 21st century.
Nobody seems to have paid any attention to them. Due to the kind of
electioneering we witnessed in the current election, it is time to take a
serious look at them and revise them with an eye for full transparency,
which cannot  but strengthen the democratic election process and the TS.


TS ELECTION RULE
====xxx====
(c) As the papers are received, the General Secretary, with the scrutineers
appointed by the Executive Committee of the Section (preferably not members
of that committee), shall open the larger envelopes addressed to him to
ensure the validity of the votes by checking the eligibility of the voter
who has signed the letter form.

He shall then put the small sealed envelopes containing the voting slips
into a sealed box.

This box shall be opened on the appointed day by the scrutineers. Voting
papers received after this date shall be treated as invalid and shall be
destroyed unopened.

The scrutineers shall open the small envelopes and count the votes given to
each candidate (or the number of 'For' or 'Against' votes if there is but
one candidate).

(d) The General Secretary shall record the result of the count on Form C
which will be supplied from the Secretary's Office at the same time as the
list to be voted upon.

He shall place Form C in the small envelope labelled 'Voting Result ?
Section', seal the envelope and enclose it in the larger envelope addressed
to the Secretary.

This must be sent by airmail or other expeditious means to reach the
Secretary within fifteen weeks from the date of issue of the voting list by
him.

(e) The small envelope containing the voting results of the Section shall be
kept unopened in a sealed box by the Secretary until the close of voting.
It shall then be opened by the Election Committee.

The larger envelope shall be kept separately and shall not be destroyed
until after the voting results are announced, and under the authority of the
Executive Committee.

(f) If the voting returns have not been received by the Secretary within
twelve weeks of the date of issue of the voting list by him, he shall cable
the General Secretary concerned, informing him of this fact.
The General Secretary shall immediately send to the Secretary by airmail or
other expeditious means a second (duplicate) voting return in a sealed
envelope marked 'Duplicate'.

Cabled results will not be accepted.

Voting results received after the closing date will be destroyed unopened by
the Secretary in the presence of three members of the Executive Committee,
nominated by the said Committee, and the particulars of the Section from
which the voting results were received and the date on which they were
received, shall be recorded in writing, and the Secretary and the three
members of the Executive Committee shall affix their signatures thereto.

===XXX======

M K Ramadoss, Member, San Antonio, Texas, USA

THERE IS NO RELIGION HIGHER THAN TRUTH

For quick access to all the important messages on TS International Election,
go to:

http://teozofija.info/Teozofsko_gibanje/Elections_2008.htm


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